1939: The Alliance That Never Was and the Coming of World War II

At a crucial point in the twentieth century, as Nazi Germany prepared for war, negotiations between Britain, France, and the Soviet Union became the last chance to halt Hitler's aggression. Incredibly, the French and British governments dallied, talks failed, and in August 1939 the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact with Germany. Michael Carley's gripping account ofAt a crucial point in the twentieth century, as Nazi Germany prepared for war, negotiations between Britain, France, and the Soviet Union became the last chance to halt Hitler's aggression. Incredibly, the French and British governments dallied, talks failed, and in August 1939 the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact with Germany. Michael Carley's gripping account of these negotiations is not a pretty story. It is about the failures of appeasement and collective security in Europe. It is about moral depravity and blindness, about villains and cowards, and about heroes who stood against the intellectual and popular tides of their time. Some died for their beliefs, others labored in obscurity and have been nearly forgotten. In 1939 they sought to make the Grand Alliance that never was between France, Britain, and the Soviet Union. This story of their efforts is background to the wartime alliance created in 1941 without France but with the United States in order to defeat a demonic enemy. 1939 is based upon Mr. Carley's longtime research on the period, including work in French, British, and newly opened Soviet archives. He challenges prevailing interpretations of the origins of World War II by situating 1939 at the end of the early cold war between the Soviet Union, France, and Britain, and by showing how anti-communism was the major cause of the failure to form an alliance against Hitler. 1939 was published on September 1, the sixtieth anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Poland and the start of the war....more

ebook, 384 pages

Published
February 16th 2009
by Ivan R. Dee Publisher
(first published May 25th 1999)

Quite likely the clearest book available on the diplomatic situation leading up to the Second World War. This book tells the more logical and, ultimately, more believable reasons behind the diplomatic collapse between the Western allies and the Soviet Union. A full recap of why and how the former essentially stalled (and stalled and stalled and stalled) the latter into a complete state of paranoia about an attack from all quarters.

The book lays bare and dismantles the post-war revisionist theoryQuite likely the clearest book available on the diplomatic situation leading up to the Second World War. This book tells the more logical and, ultimately, more believable reasons behind the diplomatic collapse between the Western allies and the Soviet Union. A full recap of why and how the former essentially stalled (and stalled and stalled and stalled) the latter into a complete state of paranoia about an attack from all quarters.

The book lays bare and dismantles the post-war revisionist theory that the 'dastardly' and 'cunning' Soviet Union gladly united with Hitler's Germany because, well... because the Soviets were so dastardly and cunning! Through careful, chronological analysis and a solid examination of the thousands of letters, aide-de-memoirs, and other diplomatic correspondence, Carley shows clearly how the Western powers were much more hopeful of letting Hitler have his way in Czechoslovakia, Poland, et. al., especially if it meant that he would eventually attack the Soviet Union. The West was positively more anti-communist than anti-Hitler and this is shown time and time again by it's stalling maneuvers and constant bickering over minutiae.

Regardless of one's agreement with Carley's premise, the book is a more-than-fascinating read regarding the diplomatic foibles in the years leading up to WWII and -- quite literally -- will have you reading with mouth agape at some of the resultant tragic consequences....more